Elder and Sister Vann

I know it seems I would never get this last email out.  We finally got our internet yesterday and have a little bit of breathing room. This week has really been a whirlwind for us.  Just last Sunday we were biding farewell to our Newcastle family and heading home.  Nothing seemed like we were “leaving our mission” until we got past Rapid City, SD.  The scenery and such were just places we had visited before.  We made it to Sioux Falls SD the first night.  Along the way, we had intended to check out the Badlands in SD but didn’t realize there was a fee.  So we only got to see what was near the road.  The Badlands looked cool, but nothing compared to the Black Hills.   Even though we were driving separate cars, it was easy enough to talk to each other if we got lonely.  Sometimes, we would just drive and chat.  We didn’t get into Sioux Falls until about 8 pm.  We were grateful there was a Texas Roadhouse just ac...

It has been a very interesting and crazy week.  Monday Walt started training his replacement Elders.  They are both very bright, smart, and committed missionaries.  One had experience working in a mission office when he was serving in Mexico, before being sent home from COVID-19.  I think he was itching to get back into that.  The other Elder, Elder Matthews, reminds me of Cash.  I see him, and see Cash as a missionary.  Although not as humorous.  The Elders learned fast.  Walt would teach them something and then let them do it.  Later, I followed the same pattern with the Sisters replacing me.  By Tuesday, they seem like they were ready to take over; Walt was good with that.  They did comment that Walt had everything so organized and set up well, that all they had to do was maintain it.  What a compliment.  It wasn’t at all like that when Walt started. Tuesday was also “exciting.”  The night before, The A...